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082916 - Moar Wrigglers
03:00 CBD: お菊 : The door shuts behind you, and collapses back into the nude form of the Okiku, who quickly pulls her dress back on. "Forgive the indecency, but this was faster. Welcome to the Land of Echoes and Remembrance. This was the Oracle's Land when she was a player." 03:01 CAT: Lorrea peers around, nodding. "Underrrrstood." 03:01 CAT: Aaisha takes a look around, breathing in air which is assumed to be cool. The mists are a welcome change. She settles her attention back on the Okiku. 03:02 CBD: お菊 : "Be careful not to trust anything you see here. This place crawls with the memories of the Oracle, and thus is very dangerous. But if you do not engage them, they cannot harm you." 03:03 CAT: "... Allllso underrrstood." Lorrea casts a rather more concerned glance at Aaisha. 03:03 CBD: お菊 : "Do you understand, Your Imperial Kindness? Princess?" 03:04 CAT: "Hmm, yes I do," Aaisha comments nodding, raising her brows at Lorrea. 03:04 CAT: She's curious but not /that/ curious. 03:04 CBD: お菊 : Dahlia curtsies, and begins heading towards a worn walking path on the ground. 03:05 CAT: Lorrea gestures with her head for Aaisha to follow, ahead of her. 03:06 CAT: Aaisha does so, briefly glancing at Thalya. Lorrea will keep her safe, Aaisha's confident of that. 03:06 CAT: Lorrea then moves to follow Aaisha. 03:07 CBD: お菊 : Thalya watches everything curiously, unblinking. 03:08 CBD: お菊 : Dahlia leads you for what feels like ages, through the mists that cling to the ground. Occassionally you'll see a whisp of a creature or another appear for a moment, then vanish. Sometimes you will here things, but it always seems to be gone when you try to listen closer. Finally, you hear Libby's voice. "Please, Please Jack, I didn't know, I swear I didn't know! I'd have come right to you if I did!" 03:09 CAT: "Make sure you heed Dahlia, Thalya," Aaisha comments quietly, her ear fines twitching at the sound of Libby's voice. 03:10 CAT: Lorrea keeps her gaze moving between her three companions. 03:14 CBD: お菊 : As you continue walking, the tableau comes into view, Libby on her knees, her eyes still intact, tears streaming from them. Her body is contorted at a weird angle, implying she cannot move, but you cannot see what is binding her. Jack stands before her sharpening his nails. "Oh, I believe you didn't know, 3863. That's why I am here to help you. I'm gonna help you, and you're gonna help me." Libby's face 03:14 contorts in fear. "Now say it, Archivist. Like you were taught." She trembles, her tears coming faster, her face red and blotchy from crying. "I-I am o-o-overjoyed t-to be of-f s-service, High P-P-Programmer." Dahlia suddenly turns, and shoves her hand over Thalya's face, to cover her eyes, just before Jack plucks Libby's out. 03:17 CAT: Lorrea bares her teeth, looking away after a moment, towards Aaisha. 03:18 CAT: Aaisha's face hardens, she's clenching her teeth and after a brief flexing of her hands, she forcibly relaxs them looking away and nodding to Dahlia. She mouths a quick thank you. 03:18 CBD: お菊 : The twinks vanish, and Dahlia pulls her hand away. "Forgive me, Princess, but you should not see such things." She lifts her skirt and heads onward. 03:19 CAT: She doesn't acknowledge Lorrea's glance, but the stiffeningof her shoulder show she noticed it. 03:19 CBD: お菊 : Thalya frowns and looks at Lorrea. "What'd I miss?" 03:19 CBD: お菊 : "What did daddy do?" 03:22 CAT: "Nothing much, honestllly. You can prrrobabllly get the fullll rundown frrrom him lllaterrr." Lorrea moves onwards, after Dahlia. 03:23 CAT: "She won't get the right rundown from him," Aaisha mutters pressing on as well. 03:23 CBD: お菊 : Around the next bend, you see Jack again, talking with a shadowy figure. Libby's body is on the ground between them, bleeding from the eyes and a large umbrella shoved through her stomach. She's making pained shrieks, the only sign she's still got any consciousness. Dahlia stops. "Thalya, look at those pretty mountains!" The Okiku points away from the scene. 03:24 CAT: "Oh wow, is that snow?" Lorrea turns her whole body towards the mountains. 03:25 CAT: Aaisha grimaces, a hint of tears in her eyes and with effort she turns herself away from the scene. 03:25 CBD: お菊 : As the group of you look at the mountains (with the Okiku positioning herself to block Thalya's view of Jack, even if she turns around), you can hear Jack's voice. "So, a deal's a deal. One Seer of Blood for you, and the Code the Game is written in for me. Pleasure doing business with you." 03:27 CAT: Aaisha frowns heavily. 03:27 CAT: Lorrea seems very interested in the mountains. 03:29 CBD: お菊 : Dahlia waits a few more moments, until the Oracle's screams vanish into echoes. "This way." She heads towards the mountains. Thalya glowers at Lorrea. "What's going on? This is MY adventure, remember?" 03:31 CAT: Lorrea moves to follow. "Everrry singllle adventurrrerrr needs to know when to take a lllook arrround. It's lllike bonus points." 03:31 CAT: Aaisha clasps her hands together, twiddling her thumbs and frowning at the ground as she follows. 03:32 CBD: お菊 : "Then why are you stopping me?" Thalya asks, her frown deepening, while Dahlia leads you to a path lined with glowing flowers. 03:32 CAT: "The obvious things arrre worrth fewerrr points, because they're obvious." 03:33 CAT: "Thalya.." Aaisha hesitates slightly, "I. Jack.. isn't.." She trails off. 03:34 CAT: Lorrea glances towards Aaisha. 03:35 CBD: お菊 : The path leads to a pair of glass doors, that open automatically as your group approaches. 03:37 CBD: お菊 : Dahlia steps through, and vanishes. Do you follow? 03:37 CAT: Lorrea does. 03:37 CAT: Aaisha follows as well. 03:40 CBD: お菊 : You find yourselves in what looks like a teenager's bedroom. with a glass tank full of clear liquid in one corner, stacks of books on every available surface, and an ornate red and black robe tossed over a white chair. A small pillar of white light appears in the corner. "Welcome home, lovelyLibrarian3863. We are experiencing slight difficulties with connecting to the Arena Mainframe. You have been 03:40 disconnected for over 100,000 years, which is the maximum amount of time this system is configure to track. Have you taken your stim today?" 03:42 CBD: お菊 : Dahlia ignores the device, crossing to a white circular pad on the floor. "Over here." 03:43 CAT: Aaisha looks around the room, confused just slightly. "Libby has to take a stim?" She follows behind Dahlia. 03:43 CAT: Lorrea blinks, glancing around, for a moment, before moving to follow. 03:44 CBD: お菊 : "All twinks do, as far as I know." She shrugs, and taps her heel three times on the pad after Lorrea steps on. 03:44 CAT: "I.. thought it was only a thing for Partners.." 03:46 CBD: お菊 : You find yourselves in a large laboratory, with a number of glass cylinders arrayed around the room. A few have already been filled, like one that looks like it had a sample of Lorcan and Serios inside it. A small purple grub is rolling around the room, chewing on the leg of a dersite that has been dismembered. He chirrups happily upon seeing you. 03:47 CAT: Automatically Aaisha chirps a response, a quick little curious hello to the grub. So this is.. 03:47 CAT: Lorrea tilts her head, slightly, peering at the grub. She moves forwards into the room. 03:48 CAT: "Do you want to be set down, Prrrrincess?" 03:50 CBD: お菊 : It looks like the Oracle intended for this to be a bit of a happier occassion. A selection of vials are laid out, pristine and glittering, each filled with a sample from one of your fellow players. Someone has left a buffet on a side table, still covered in plastic wrap to keep it from degrading. 03:52 CAT: "Oh Libby..." Aaisha looks around the room sadly. 03:54 CBD: お菊 : Thalya wriggles to get down, while Dahlia examines the vials. She smiles wistfully and lets her fingers brush over a black vial that the Oracle innocuously left near an olive green one, before turning away. "I'll leave you to it then, hmm?" 03:55 CAT: Lorrea nods, releasing Thalya, as she moves to examine the samples. 03:57 CBD: お菊 : Thalya goes over to the grub. The Highblood smiles, a mouth full of vicious fangs, and Thalya pets his head gently. "I will hear your vow of fealty now, Highblood." 03:59 CAT: Aaisha chuckles, "I'm not sure he can say it right now Thalya, be careful he might bite." Aaisha steps closer to the pair in case she needs to pull Thalya away. 04:01 CAT: Lorrea takes a quick inventory of the present samples, and tries to determine what they're *made* of, even as she uncaptchalogues Libby's sample. 04:03 CBD: お菊 : They appear to be liquid genetic samples, absent any unecessary elements, like blood cells. They move like a sludge in the containers. 04:09 CAT: Lorrea examines one of the glass cylinders at random, for a moment, before she moves to gather the samples. 04:11 CBD: お菊 : The cylinders have two convenient locations for samples to be attached in the front, and two buttons, one labeled "Mix" the other labelled "Creche". On the far wall is a large button labelled "Tabulate and Create". 04:15 CAT: Lorrea purses her lips, before moving to plug in the sample that Serios had given her in, along with his. She pauses for a moment, before pressing 'Mix'. 04:17 CBD: お菊 : The Cylinder fills with liquid, and a quick chemical reaction occurs, before the liquid inside settles on a soft lilac shade. 04:22 CAT: Lorrea then moves to hit 'Creche', rather less surely. 04:23 CAT: Aaisha looks to Lorrea briefly, "You doing alright?" 04:24 CAT: "I'm fine." 04:24 CBD: お菊 : A jolt of electricity shoots into the lilac sludge, momentarily blinding you. When it resolves, you see a small lilac grub wriggling her way out of a small hatch in the bottom of the cylinder. She is very pale, like Thalya. 04:25 CAT: "Okay, let me know if you need me," she looks at the grub curiously. 04:25 CAT: Lorrea tilts her head, peering at the grub. "Willll do," 04:29 CAT: Lorrea moves towards the next Cylinder, humming. She pauses for a few moments. 04:30 CAT: She uncaptchalogues Arty and Lila's samples, and plugs them in, following the same Mix+Creche process. 04:32 CBD: お菊 : The same zot occurs, and you find yourselves entertaining a small chubby human baby with bright peach eyes and a large cowlick curl on top of her head. 04:32 CAT: Lorrea sticks her tongue out at the small human. 04:33 CBD: お菊 : The small human sticks her tongue out right back 04:35 CAT: Aaisha laughs, "Did you want me to start gathering them up or?" 04:36 CAT: "I llike this one, and go ahead." Lorrea moves towards the next, resuming her humming. She glances towards Aaisha, grinning widely, for a moment, before plugging in Adam and Heliux's sample. 04:39 CAT: She looks at her confused, she has no idea whose samples those are what. Aaisha walks over picking up the lilac grub and human child before taking them over to Thalya and the purple grub. Aaisha is now babysitter. 04:39 CAT: Aaisha keeps the human child away from the dersite though. Humans don't eat meat do they? 04:49 CAT: Lorrea contemplates the remaining samples- and her eyes drift over towards the lilac grub, and the black sample. After a moment's pause, she glances towards the ground, before she uncaptchalogues her phone. 05:19 CAT: Lorrea glances up from her phone, for a moment. "Dahllllia?" 05:19 CAT: Her voice wavers, slightly. 05:22 CBD: お菊 : Dahlia looks up from where she was standing, motionless, staring at the olive green vial. "Yes, Lorrea? How can I be of assistance." 05:22 CAT: "You werrrre given a samplllle, forrr me?" 05:23 CBD: お菊 : "In the event that you requested it." She reaches into her mouth and pulls out a vial, similar to the others, filled with a purple-ish sludge, the same color as Ari's text. 05:26 CAT: Lorrea nods, slightly, and moves forwards to take it. 05:26 CBD: お菊 : She hands it over, then returns to her silence. 05:28 CAT: Aaisha notes the quaver in Lorrea's voice asking quietly, "Everything okay?" 05:28 CAT: Lorrea glances down at her phone. Then at Dahlia. Then at her phone again. 05:30 CAT: Lorrea then moves to quickly hug Dahlia, for a moment, before she would try to retreat back to one of the further Cylinders. 05:30 CBD: お菊 : Dahlia looks up quizzically, but shrugs and returns to staring at the olive vial. 05:32 CAT: She frowns a bit with worry, but just continues to observe. 05:40 CAT: Lorrea starts to rather more quickly combine samples. Lucy and Milo. Arty and Kyle. Mike and Lila. Lara and Mike. Heliux and Eribus. Liskar and Carayx. Nyarla and Lucy. Ramira and Varani. 05:40 CAT: Lorrea pauses. 05:41 CAT: Milo and Ramira. Neizan and Adam. 05:43 CAT: Lorrea draws to a stop, eyeing the last few Cylinders, and the remaining samples. 05:44 CAT: She glances down at her phone, one last time. 05:44 CAT: And shunts it into her Sylladex. 05:46 CBD: お菊 : Dahlia gets up and walks over to the transport pad, vanishing suddenly. 05:47 CAT: Aaisha stands, squinting after Dahlia, "Should we be worried..?" 05:47 CAT: Lorrea peers after Dahlia, glancing between the transport pad and the remaining Olive sample. 05:47 CAT: "I'm not surrrrre," 05:47 CAT: "...Should I go check on her?" 05:49 CAT: ".... I don't know." 05:53 CAT: Aaisha brushes her skirt off, "Well if I can work the transporter.." 05:53 CAT: "Will you be okay if I leave for a moment?" 05:53 CAT: "Yeah." 05:54 CAT: "Be carrrefulllll?" 05:54 CAT: Lorrea moves to quickly Mix and Creche Kyle and Lara's genetics. 05:55 CAT: "Fourrrr llleft," 05:55 CAT: "I will," Aaisha briefly bends down kissing Thalya's head, "Be good for Lorrea." Aaisha moves to the transporter, copying Dahlia ealier and tapping her heel three times. 05:58 CAT: Lorrea moves to process Varani and... Nyarla, grimancing. "Herrre's hoping..." 05:59 CBD: お菊 : Aaisha, you are transported back to Libby's Room. You hear Dahlia's voice, openly weeping. "Sudo Suicide." "I am sorry, lovelyLibrarian3863, but suicide requires permission of GodOS Prime, and we are disconnected at the moment." "I want to kill myself." "I am sorry, lovelyLibrarian3863, but suicide requires permission of GodOS Prime, and we are disconnected at the moment." "Poison." "I am sorry, 05:59 lovelyLibrarian3863, but suicide requires permission of GodOS Prime, and we are disconnected at the moment." "Fire!" She shrieks. "I am sorry, lovelyLibrarian3863, but suicide requires permission of GodOS Prime, and we are disconnected at the moment." 06:02 CAT: "Oh, Dahlia," Aaisha expression is sad, but no judgemental. She steps forward slightly beside the okiku but not crowding her, "Hey, I'm here, we can talk if you want to." 06:05 CBD: お菊 : Dahlia freezes, her body returning to it's statuesque state. "Forgive me, Your Imperial Kindness. I did not want to disturb you." 06:07 CAT: "No, no it's okay, please," she holds out her arms smiling softly, "I'm not the Empress right now, I'm your friend and I'm here for you." 06:09 CAT: Lorrea moves to set the mutant red sample with the jade- and separately, the jade with Ariadne's purple. They are Mixed and Creched. 06:10 CBD: お菊 : "Forgive me, Your Imperial Kindness, but you are not my friend. I am just an Okiku. We do not have friends." 06:12 CAT: Aaisha sighs a little, her arms dropping. "That seems silly. You have feelings, just like any other troll. I don't see why you can't have friends too." Aaisha considers her for a moment. 06:13 CAT: "And you're experiencing pain just like the rest of us," Aaisha's voice is softer, her eyes glancing at the machine, "Because of your feelings for Eribus?" 06:15 CAT: Lorrea sits before the last unfillled Cylinder, three samples resting in her hands- a dark purple, an olive, and the pitch. Her gaze moves between them. 06:16 CBD: お菊 : "Yes." Dahlia shakes her head. "Forgive me, Empress. I will keep my emotions in check." 06:17 CAT: "You don't have to apologize," she takes a deep breath "...do you want a chance to choose freely? I. May be able to recreate your purpose." 06:21 CBD: お菊 : "No." She doesn't move, and the sound is almost robotic. "It is my purpose. The Rule that gives me life." 06:26 CAT: "Mm, very well," Aaisha comments, her tone worried, "If you wish it I can also create Rules, an addition.. something like. Mm. 'Should Eribus refuse relations with Dahlia, she will be free to choose someone else to love.' I won't force you, but. Something to think about." Aaisha heads back to the transporter. 06:26 CAT: "I'll be with Lorrea if you need me, okay?" 06:27 CBD: お菊 : Dahlia nods. 06:28 CAT: Aaisha taps her heels. 06:29 CBD: お菊 : Aaisha returns to the Ectobiology Lab? Y/N 06:29 CAT: Y 06:31 CBD: お菊 : Aaisha zots back into the lab. 06:31 CAT: Lorrea continues pondering her choice. 06:33 CAT: "Hi Lorrea," Aaisha chirps, her tone unsure, "She um... That Rule is killing her." 06:33 CAT: "... I know." 06:35 CAT: "... Therrrre's reallllly onlllly one way this can go, isn't therrrre?" 06:38 CAT: "No," Aaisha clutches at her arms, "There isn't just one way. That's what the Norns said and they were wrong.. I can help her, but... does she want the help?" 06:38 CAT: "Can you?" 06:40 CAT: "How can you frrrree herrrr frrrom herrrr naturrre, when that's what lllets herrrr lllive?" 06:41 CAT: "Because I can recreate that nature, or add to it, giving her a way to get out," Aaisha clenches harder at her arms, "She doesn't need to live for someone who will never love her." 06:42 CAT: Lorrea captchalogues the samples. "Then llllet's trrry." 06:42 CAT: She stands, and moves towards the transporter. 06:42 CAT: And then stops. 06:42 CAT: And moves back into the room. 06:43 CAT: "Lorrea?" 06:43 CAT: "I'm not about to lllleave the wrrrigglllerrrs forrrr this." 06:44 CAT: "LLeaving the Prrrincess unguarrrded woullllld be an immeasurrrabllle mistake. What if something happened." 06:47 CAT: Aaisha glances at Thalya and the other wigglers, that's right. "... Should I bring her down here, I. Can I do it on my own?" 06:47 CAT: "Aaisha, if I trrried to take her rollle frrrom herrr, it woullld have to go somewherrrre." 06:47 CAT: "This is something forrrr you." 06:49 CAT: "Um, um okay. Lorrea, are you okay? You're doing the rolling thing again." 06:49 CAT: "I'm fine. See to herrrr." 06:50 CAT: Lorrea turns her back, moving back to the last Cylinder. 06:54 CAT: "Okay, okay um," Aaisha unclenches her arms taking a few deep breaths. She steps back onto the transporter, tapping her heels to head back into Libby's room. 06:56 CBD: お菊 : Dahlia is standing by a large window, staring out at the landscape. 06:57 CAT: Lorrea waits until she knows that Aaisha has left, before plugging the Olive sample into the slot, and only hesitates briefly before plugging the dark purple sample in after it. After they're in, she quickly hits both Mix and Creche. 06:59 CAT: Aaisha brushes off her skirt, just slightly tugging on her fingers. 07:00 CAT: "Dahlia, if you feel up to it, would you tell me more about the Rules that bind Okikus? So I can understand." 07:00 CAT: She then moves towards the Tabulate and Create button, and presses it, rather quickly. 07:01 CBD: お菊 : The room quickly fills with babies, both human and troll. It seems like these are both your ancestors, your post-scratch selves, you as children, and the post-scratch children. There are so many babies and wrigglers everywhere. 07:02 CBD: お菊 : Dahlia doesn't turn around. "Just do what you are going to do, Empress." 07:03 CAT: Aaisha sighs, "Very well." 07:03 CAT: Lorrea stares at all of the small ones. "fuck," she whispers, quietly. "I mean, wait. Uh. Darrrn." 07:04 CBD: お菊 : Thalya gasps. "AUNTIE LORREA SAID A BAD WORD!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!" 07:05 CAT: "......... I did. I'm sorrrrry." 07:05 CAT: She gathers her strength, beginning the creation of the rule, "Should Eribus refuse Dahlia's affections, she will be free to move on and love another." 07:05 CAT: "I'lllll have to eat some soap lllaterrrr." 07:11 CBD: お菊 : Dahlia begins weeping, openly, and turns to look at Aaisha. "Tell Eribus that I loved him until the end. The Oracle was right. I had to die, for him." Her body shifts, and she suddenly collapses into a pile of warped wood and black silk. 07:12 CBD ceased responding to memo. 07:12 CAT: Lorrea glances through the babies and wrigglers. She looks for a burgundyblood. 07:14 CAT: Aaisha freezes, before sighing and walking forward to pick up Dahlia's body and quickly putting the okiku in her sylladex. 07:14 CCC: • Two burgundybloods are scuttling around on the ground fighting over a piece of the Carapacian. • 07:15 CAT: That is some straight a bullshit honestly. Frowning Aaisha steps onto the transporter, before hesitating. "Hello?" she queries to the room. 07:17 CAT: Lorrea very lightly contests both of their claim on the piece of Carapacian. 07:18 CCC: • They screech but release it, afraid of being culled by the Jadeblood • 07:18 CAT: Lorrea returns it. 07:18 CCC: • They resume fighting • 07:19 CCC: • The computer announces. "Hello, lovelyLibrarian3863, how may I assist you today?" • 07:22 CAT: "Holy shit," Aaisha whispers under her breath, "Um, what are the protocals on uh, on Partnership without a Primer?" 07:23 CCC: • "Partnership without a Primer is the epitome of taboo. Not only is not completing a primer a sign of disrespect, but only the most worthless, debased, uneducated whores would consider dirtying themselves in that manner." • 07:25 CAT: The face she makes is rather incredible. Upset, disgusted, irritated. All in one look. 07:25 CAT: "If one is forced into a Partnership without the completetion of a Primer can it be absolved?" 07:28 CCC: • "No. Absolution of a Primer requires the death of the female partner, or permission from GodOS Prime." • 07:28 CAT: After a few moments of hesitation, Lorrea moves to lift up one of the burgundy bloods, carefully. She tilts her head at it, and smiles, carefully keeping her teeth out of sight. 07:28 CCC: • The burgundy blood chirrups and wriggles its legs at Lorrea. • 07:29 CCC: • "If such a thing were to happen to a female, she is, of course, protected by the advantages of the Partnership." • 07:30 CAT: Aaisha's still frowning, "Of course. Well. Thank you." She turns and looks toward the window silent and contemplating. 07:31 CAT: She turns it around, and holds it at about shoulder height, so that it can see the rest of the room. 07:32 CCC: • It begins to skree at the others, wriggling its legs. • 07:33 CCC: • Aaisha, you see on a cliff nearby, the shapes of Libby and Serios curled up together, as if they're sitting on a bench. • 07:34 CAT: She grimaces and turns away from the window. That had been a mistake. Well back to check in on Lorrea and the wigglers. 07:34 CAT: Aaisha steps on the transporter and heads back to the lab. 07:35 CAT: Lorrea gently brandishes the wriggler at Thalya and Aaisha in turn. With both arms, because she isn't insane. 07:36 CAT: She looks at Lorrea, just. Why are you brandishing, 07:37 CAT: "Therrrre arrrre so many." 07:37 CAT: "There.." Aaisha looks around the room, "There are uh. A lot of wigglers yes. Wow." 07:37 CCC: • Jack appears, leaning against a wall. "And now you leave them here." • 07:37 CAT: Aaisha jumps. 07:38 CAT: "Realllly? Just herrrre. LLike this." 07:38 CAT: "This massive bllllob of wrrrigglllling lllimbs and noise." 07:39 CCC: • "The Game will handle the rest." Thalya perks up. "DADDY!" She runs over and holds her arms up, and Jack scoops her up. • 07:40 CAT: "Well I guess our job is done then," she's picking at her skirt. 07:42 CAT: "Ourrrr job is neverrrr done." Lorrea rolls her eyes. 07:42 CCC: • Jack nods. "Yes. Let me talk to Thalya a minute, and then I'll take you back." He turns his attention to Thalya. "Now, do you remember what I told you?" Thalya nods, and Jack continues. "You are going on a BIG KID ADVENTURE, and your mother and I won't be there to protect you. Bad things may happen, but we love you fiercely. And to prove it, you're going to keep an accounting of anything bad that 07:42 ANYONE does wrong to you." • 07:43 CCC: • Thalya continues to nod. "When you see me next, you will be a woman like your momma. And you will tell me if anyone hurt you, and how. And I will make sure that they understand what it means to cross the High Programmer of Arena, and the Empress of Alternia." • 07:44 CCC: • Thalya nods. "I will remember, Papa." He kisses her forehead. "Go say good-bye to your mother." He puts her down, and smiles at Aaisha warmly. • 07:45 CAT: Aaisha clutches her skirt, smiling shakely back at Jack before she crouches down and opens her arms to Thalya. 07:46 CAT: Lorrea folds her arms, peering at the assortment of wriggllers and others. 07:48 CCC: • Thalya climbs into Aaisha's arms. "Momma, I'm gonna be a growed up when you see me again. Will I be as pretty as you?" • 07:49 CAT: "Of course you will be," Aaisha gently holds her close, "You'll be the prettiest Heiress Alternia has ever seen. Remember something for me okay?" 07:49 CAT: "You can always trust Lorrea." 07:50 CAT: Lorrea looks up, hypothetically radiating questionmarks. 07:53 CCC: • She nods. "Okay. I'll remember Momma. Trust Auntie Lorrea." She smiles. • 07:54 CAT: Aaisha smiles back, "Good." She gives Thalya another quick squeeze and a kiss of her own before ushering her off. "Be safe." 07:54 CCC: • "Okay Momma! See you soon!" She wriggles down and sits down crosslegged, pulling a small black rectangle out of her ruffles. • 07:55 CCC: • Jack chuckles. "Is there anything you need before I take you back?" • 07:57 CAT: She stands looking at the rectangle curiously, before looking over at Jack. "Not from here, um. Can you reverse any rule-making of mine? And its effects?" 07:58 CCC: • He laughs. "Sure, love. What do you need?" • 07:59 CAT: Aaisha hums before she takes Dahlia's body out, letting it land in her arms. "I tried to help her and it. Didn't go as planned. I like her... Would you return her to the way she was before I tried my Rule?" 08:00 CAT: Lorrea remains quiet. 08:01 CCC: • Jack picks up the piece that was her head, an elegantly carved totem with dried alternian seaweed for hair. He frowns. "Are you sure you want that?" • 08:03 CAT: "...Unless it will hurt her? She's my friend," Aaisha notes the seeweed, "And she looked much different before my meddling." 08:03 CAT: "... Herrr naturrrre was killlling herrrr regarrrdlllless, Aaisha." 08:03 CAT: Aaisha shrugs. 08:03 CAT: "Of courrrse it woulllld hurrrt herrrr." 08:04 CAT: Her lips thin. "There's always hope if you're still alive." 08:06 CCC: • "Aaisha, there is a difference between what you experience, and what Dahlia experienced 'living' as. She was an automaton, and the same Rule you tried to change is the same Rule that powered her existence. That rule cannot be changed. Not by you. Not even by me." • 08:06 CAT ceased responding to memo. 08:07 CAT: "I didn't mean to change it," her voice is quiet, her grip tighening slightly, "I meant to add to it. But. I will remember that." 08:08 CAT: "... Is adding not changing?" 08:09 CAT: Another shrug. 08:09 CAT: "Especialllly in any meaningfulll way, forrr herrr." 08:10 CCC: • "I know you only wanted the best, Aaisha. And I don't fault your motives, or your methods. What was done to this girl was tragic. And I will probably have words with Eribus about it later." He sighs, and looks down at the wooden face. "If you ask me to do this, Aaisha, I will. GodOS knows it won't be the worst thing I've done. I just worry that if it doesn't work out the way you want it to, 08:10 you'll blame yourself." • 08:13 CAT: "Please, I'm already blaming myself. I said I wouldn't force her and then I did, she may perish in the future but she doesn't deserve this," Aaisha swallows, her voice harsh when she speaks next, "Don't be too harsh on Eribus. If anything it's his Ancestors fault for forcing this. Her purpose is cruel." 08:13 CAT: "And herr purrrpose is herrr LLife." 08:13 CAT: Aaisha nods, "I won't meddle again." 08:14 CAT: "Woulllld you forrrce that upon herrrr again." 08:14 CAT: "And forrrr what?" 08:14 CAT: "To assuage yourrr own fatalllism?" 08:15 CCC: • "Yes, but we bear the responsibilities of our predecessors. As the next BONELORD, Eribus bore the responsibility of caring for and protecting an okiku, which from what I understand is a priceless work of art." He looks up at Aaisha, his face heavy with a mix of emotions. "If you want me to do this, I will. But you have to ask me clearly, not hide it in nuance." • 08:18 CAT: Her shoulders slump, and Dahlia dissappears into her sylladex. "I already forced it on her Lorrea. I'm sorry, we can go. Unless you needed anything Lorrea?" 08:18 CAT: "Herrr crrreatorrr forrrced it upon herrr. You ended it. Therrre's a differrrrence." 08:18 CAT: Lorrea glances at the wrigglers and babies and everything else. 08:18 CAT: "No." 08:21 CAT: "Then we can go." 08:21 CCC: • Jack reaches into the pile of broken wood, and pulls out a small carved olive green gem, carefully bound with gold wire. He tucks it into a pocket. "Shall we?" • 08:22 CAT: Aaisha nods, seemingly unware of Jack's little grab. 08:24 CAT: "No time llllike the prrresent." 08:26 CCC: • "All right. One second." He grins, and you arrive back in the Vaults on LoQaQ. • Category:Aaisha Category:Lorrea Category:Dahlia Category:Jack